Rights, obligations and privacy

Your rights

You have a right to careful care and understandable information about your medical care. The healthcare provider must provide you with information about your medical condition, the proposed examinations or treatments, the risks of a treatment, and potential alternatives. Based on this information, you can decide whether or not you wish to undergo treatment or examination. ‘Healthcare provider’ refers to anyone involved in your treatment or care. They are responsible for tailoring the information to your individual situation and needs as best as possible. In doing so, they must respect your personal values and beliefs. 

If you would like more information or if you do not fully understand the information provided, you should indicate this clearly. If needed, the healthcare provider may use an interpreter. You can also indicate that you do not want any information. The healthcare provider will respect your wishes as long as doing so is not detrimental to yourself or others.

A healthcare provider may not treat you without your permission. Please read more under ‘Consenting to treatment’. 

You do not always need to come to Radboudumc for your treatment. Sometimes an appointment can take place by telephone or video call. Your healthcare provider will inform you about this.

Your primary care provider

Your treatment at Radboudumc will involve several healthcare providers. In some cases, these healthcare providers work together as a team, contributing their various medical expertises. At any given time, there is one physician who is ultimately responsible for the quality, coordination, and continuity of your treatment. This is your primary care provider. The healthcare providers involved in your treatment will always consult with your primary care provider when making important decisions.

Radboudumc is a teaching hospital. This means that in addition to specialists and nurses, you may also encounter interns and nurses and doctors in training.

Requesting medical records

If you are or have been receiving treatment at another hospital, your healthcare provider at Radboudumc may wish to request additional medical information about it. In order to provide you with proper care or to follow-up on care elsewhere, your healthcare provider sometimes needs to have a complete record of your past medical condition and treatment. Your permission is required to request this information. Your healthcare provider will ask you to sign a consent form. 

Your obligations

We expect you to inform your healthcare provider clearly and completely about any important matters related to your medical condition, physical symptoms, or treatment. Your healthcare provider needs this information to make a suitable diagnosis and provide professional treatment. 
You have a duty to provide us with correct information, as well as to meet the required financial conditions and pay your bills on time.

Identification requirement

If you receive medical care in the Netherlands, you are required by Dutch law to identify yourself with a valid ID. In the Dutch healthcare system, this identification requirement applies to everyone, including children. 
You can identify yourself with a legal valid identification form: a passport or valid ID card from an EU/EEA country. 

Medicine use registration

Radboudumc is required to monitor your medicine use. We do this for your own safety. Monitoring takes place at each outpatient clinic visit, on admission, or before administering medicine at the day treatment unit. We call this the medicine use check. 

To help us monitor your use adequately, we ask that you bring along the following: 

• an overview of the medicines you are currently taking
• the medicines you are taking with the original packaging

Consenting to treatment

A physician or other healthcare provider may not treat you without your permission. You decide whether or not you want a specific examination or treatment. To make the right decision, you need accurate information. The healthcare provider does not always explicitly ask for your consent. You always have the right to refuse an examination or treatment. The physician will then inform you of the possible consequences of your decision. For certain major treatments, the healthcare provider does explicitly ask for your consent, and sometimes also your signature. You can withdraw your consent at any time. Please indicate this to your healthcare provider. They will respect your decision, although they will also point out the possible consequences of your decision. If you give consent, the healthcare provider expects you to cooperate with the treatment, and to follow their advice.
 

• Legally incapacitated

  If a person is unable to make their own decisions due to a physical or mental condition, they are referred to as ‘legally incapacitated’. This is the case, for example, if a person is unconscious, has advanced dementia, or has suffered a stroke.
  Your spouse or partner is authorized to represent you in such cases. If you do not have a spouse or partner, you can be represented by your parents or a sibling. In the event that a trustee or mentor has been appointed or you have authorized someone in writing to be your representative, they are obviously first in line to represent you. The physician will decide, together with the other healthcare providers, whether a patient is able to give consent.

• Emergency situations

  In some medically urgent situations, the Dutch law allows healthcare providers to provide treatment without the patient's or their representative's consent. This applies, for example, if you are hospitalized while unconscious and an immediate intervention is required.

• Advance directive

  A written advance directive is a record of any treatment you do or do not want to receive, should you be unable to decide for yourself. You can formulate this directive as long as you are still legally capable. If you have an advance directive, please discuss it with your physician and loved ones so they are aware of your wishes. In principle, your physician will always act according to this directive. A physician may deviate from a directive if there is a legitimate reason to do so. In medically urgent situations, sometimes there is no time to check whether the patient has formulated a directive.

Electronic Health Record EHR

At Radboudumc, records of your treatment are kept in an Electronic Health Record (EHR). This record also contains correspondence with your GP or other specialists. You have the right to inspect your medical record, provided that this does not impair someone else's right to inspection.

Copy of patient record or x-ray

You have the right to inspect and copy your data. You may request to see your record or to receive a copy of your record. Please direct a request for inspection to the department where you are or have been receiving treatment. We will find an appropriate time to go through your record with you. If you wish to receive a copy of your record, you must apply for it in writing. Your application must include a copy of your ID. To request a copy of an X-ray, please submit a request to the Radiology Department. 

Inspection and copy of children's records.

You may request to see your child's record or to receive a copy of this record. The rights to inspect and receive a copy of children’s records differs, depending on their age: 

• For children under 12 years of age, any parent with parental authority has the right to inspect and receive a copy of the record. 
• For children aged 12 to 16, the child has the right to inspect and receive a copy of their record. They may decide whether to allow their parents to inspect their record. Parental access to the medical record is automatically blocked on a child's 12th birthday. 
• Adolescents aged 16 and 17 have the right to inspect and receive a copy of their record. If the parent wishes to see the record or receive a copy, they need their child's permission.

Aftercare

Under Dutch law, we have a duty as healthcare providers to offer adequate aftercare. We usually do not provide this aftercare ourselves, but we do bear the responsibility for checking and determining whether you receive the right degree of aftercare. The right way to organize aftercare is a medical decision that differs from case to case.
To inform and provide information to third parties, we need the consent of the patient or their authorized representative. We sometimes also issue the patient with a letter or other information that can be used to apply for aftercare in their home country.

Radboudumc house rules

Everyone is welcome at Radboudumc, but we do have a few rules. These are aimed at making everyone’s time here as safe and pleasant as possible.

Parking

You can park your car in one of the Radboudumc parking lots. The parking spots near the entrances are for picking up and dropping off only. Disabled parking spots are for our visitors with a disabled parking permit.
Read more about traveling to and parking at Radboudumc

Animals

Animals are not allowed at Radboudumc. Assistance dogs and guide dogs for the blind are allowed to accompany their owner. For patients at Radboudumc’s Amalia Children's Hospital, we have a meeting place outside where the children can sometimes cuddle with their pets.

Peace and quiet 

At Radboudumc, we guard the peace and quiet of our patients, visitors, and staff. You are allowed to use your cell phone, tablet or laptop, but please avoid inconveniencing those around you. 

Privacy 

At Radboudumc, we respect each other's privacy. That is why you are only allowed to photograph or film others if they have given their explicit permission. External publication of video or audio material is only allowed with written permission from our Communications Department. If you would like to record your conversation with your healthcare provider so you can listen to it at your leisure later, please discuss this in advance with your healthcare provider.

Smoking, alcohol, and drugs 

Radboudumc is a smoke-free zone. Smoking, including electronic cigarettes, is only allowed in the special designated smoking areas at the edges of the hospital grounds. Bringing in or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not permitted.

Watch your belongings

Unfortunately, theft sometimes also occurs at Radboudumc. Therefore, we recommend that you bring in as few valuables as possible, and that you pay close attention to your belongings. This is your responsibility.

We watch over your safety

There are cameras in various places in and around Radboudumc. This is how we watch over your safety and our property. Our security guards and other employees also watch over your safety. We therefore ask you to always follow their instructions. 

These house rules apply at Radboudumc and on the surrounding grounds. If you violate these house rules, you may be denied access to Radboudumc temporarily or permanently.

Use of medical data and leftover biomaterial

To provide you with the best possible treatment, we collect medical data about you. Sometimes we also collect biomaterial, such as blood, urine, or tissue. We would like to use your medical data and leftover biomaterial for research and educational purposes. In this way, you can help us improve care for all our patients. However, we can only use your medical data and biomaterial with your consent.

• Read more about the use of medical data en leftover biomaterial